Coil spring installation and removal tool



s p 1959 J. w. SHEFFIELD 2,903,786

I COIL SPRING INSTALLATION AND REMOVAL TOOL Filed Oct. 1'7, 1955 INVENTOR JOHN W. SHEFFIELD BY l I ,3 I

ATTORNEY United States Patent COIL SPRING INSTALLATION AND REMOVAL TOOL John W. Shelfield, Elizabethton, Tenn., assignor of one half to Grant Roy, Atlanta, Ga.

Application October 17, 1955, Serial No. 540,983 1 Claim. (Cl. 29-227) This invention relates to work-saving devices and more particularly to the provision of means for reducing the amount of work required in accomplishing a particular result or, in other words, for applying force for assisting in moving an object.

The invention relates specifically to springs employed adjacent the rear of hoods of automobiles which facilitate the raising and lowering of the hood, and to implements for maintaining such springs in extended position so that it may readily be applied and removed.

Relatively powerful, stiff, helical springs employed in connection with the hood hinges of automobiles and the like are diflicult to apply and remove due to the great force required in compressing and extending the same and, consequently, it is desirable to have means whereby such springs may be readily applied and removed.

Devices of this character have been heretofore employed, however, they have not been satisfactory for various reasons including the fact that they were complicated, cumbersome, unwieldy, had limited accessibility, and did not satisfactorily perform the function for which they were produced.

It is an object of the invention to overcome the objections enumerated and to provide a simple, inexpensive, easily operable, efficient tool for applying and removing a helical spring and a tool which is of minimum bulk, which affords maximum accessibility from all sides and which requires minimum effort and skill in its use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective illustration of one application of the invention;

Fig. 2, a side elevation illustrating the use of the same on the spring associating with a hood hinge;

Fig. 3, a horizontal section of the device of the invention; and

Fig. 4, an elevation of gaging members.

Briefly stated the implement or tool of the present invention comprises a turnbuckle which forms a handle, and a pair of spring engaging members connected to the turnbuckle by right and left-hand threads so that upon rotation of the turnbuckle the spaced portions of the spring may be contracted or expanded as desired.

With continued reference to the drawing a helical spring has extremities providing a hook 11 for engagement with a stud 13 of a pivotally mounted hood 14 and a hook 12 for location within an opening 15 of a support 16. A pair of pivoted links 17 and 18 serve to pivotally mount the hood on the support 16 so that such hood may be raised and lowered with the spring 10 reducing the amount of work required in such operation.

The construction and arrangement is such that the spring is in extended position when the hood is closed and is normally shortened or contracted during the raising of the hood.

The implement or tool constituting the present inventhe end of one of the spring en- 2,903,786 Patented Sept. 15, 1959 tion is designed to maintain the spring 10 extended and when the hood is raised the ends of the spring will be brought closer together so that the spring may easily be detached. The tool comprises spaced spring engaging members and a combination handle and turnbuckle for holding the device and for moving them toward and from each other.

The spring engaging members comprise substantially semi-circular plates 20 preferably disposed at slight angles corresponding to the pitch of the coils of the spring for intimate contact therewith. About the edges of the plates 20 are mounted curved walls 21 which support and reinforce the plates 20. When the device is applied the plates 20 are gripped between the coils of the spring with the curved wall 21 at opposite sides of the plate engaging the coils of the spring and providing a more positive connection with the coils of the spring.

A pair of the spring engaging members composed of the plates 20 and curved walls 21 are employed, and are provided with a mounting stud 22 at one end having left-hand threads and a mounting stud 23 at the other end having right-hand threads. A turnbuckle 24 is provided with corresponding right and left hand threads 25 and 26 which are complementary to and receive the right and left hand threaded studs 22 and 23. This construction provides for axial movement of the studs and spring engaging members toward and from each other as is usual with a turnbuckle. The turnbuckle also is preferably provided with annular knurled gripping rings 27.

The implement or tool of the present invention is adapted to be applied to a hood or other spring 10 while it is in extended position and thereafter when the hood of the automobile is additionally raised and the ends of the spring are brought closer together, the spring may easily be detached and removed.

It will be readily understood from the foregoing that the present invention is simple in character and comprises only three parts, one being a combination handle and turnbuckle by means of which the device can be handled, applied and manipulated to remove a spring.

Due to the fact that the fiat plates of the end members are slightly angularly disposed they may be readily applied to the opposite end portions of the spring, the coils of which will engage and clamp against opposite sides of the plates and will fit snugly within the curved walls of the end members insuring positive engagement therewith.

If desired the surfaces of the plates may be polished to obviate any evidence of a spring having been removed, or they may be left more or less rough so that with or without the application of tell-tale substance such as carpenters chalk, evidence will be found to indicate that the spring has been engaged by the tool, but in any event, the automobile hood may be raised slightly, the device applied, then the hood raised additionally to cause the spring to be freed so that it can be readily removed.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawing and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the accompanying claim.

What is claimed is:

An implement for application to a helical spring for applying and removing the same comprising spaced end members adapted to be applied to and gripped by the coils of the spring and a threaded connection joining said end members and operable as a handle for applying the implement and for moving said end members toward and from each other, each of said end members comprising a relatively flat plate disposed at a slight angle and adapted to be inserted between and gripped by the coils of a spring to which the implement is applied, a curved plate around the margin of said relatively flat plate and extending beyond opposite sides thereof in a manner to reinforce said relatively fiat plate and to engage the coils of the spring for a short distance on opposite sides of said relatively fiat plate, but leaving an intermediate portion of said spring and connection unobstructed, a stud attached to each of said members, one having right-hand threads and the other left-hand threads, said connection having an external annularly knurled grip and right and left-hand threads complementary With the threads of said 10 studs for moving said end members toward and from each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Deeds Apr. 9,

Otsuka July 19,

Terroine Sept. 18,

England Feb. 3,

Brenneman Mar. 11,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Nov. 7, 

